From philosophical discussion to professional development consideration (and even policy deliberation), it’s not hard to find energetic talk concerning entrepreneurs and social good as a running theme. The increased attention itself invites increased temptation to distinguish existing and emerging ventures according to how much social infuses their structure and how much entrepreneur informs their services.
The tendency to draw lines at this stage is understandable. As new entrants compete with existing entities for limited resources, greater competition breeds scrutiny and distrust among current service providers, communities of practice, and decisionmakers uncomfortable with risking what works for what remains to be defined.
The sector itself can often pose more challenges than solutions, due in no small part to an insular vocabulary. Ideas and concepts don’t always fit with numbers and labels in any environment. The ability to grasp the social entrepreneur’s language focused on passion, purpose, and people can prove especially challenging.
As the social enterprise sector to continues to define itself and assert its relevancy, we must remain open to a balance of messages that convey what we do, why we act, and how we aim to meet our social goals.
Incorporating language among a more diverse base of innovators and implementers helps us to create better visions of social purpose. An expanded vocabulary of social enterprise shifts us away from framework of suspicion towards a broader strategy of success, through which we can better connect our interests and experiences to a clearer sense of direction and relevancy to those we aim to serve.